Can Poor Oral Health Lead To Cardiovascular Disease?

“Preventing deterioration of oral health in older age can be crucial for survival”, says a 2021 study published by the National Library of Medicine. 

More recent studies have suggested that poor oral health is associated with a higher risk of respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

There are quite a number of studies that clearly demonstrate this correlation, but experts from the American Heart Association don’t yet know the exact mechanism that drives the correlation.  There are a number of theories being investigated:

• The bacteria that infect the gums and cause gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis), travels through the bloodstream and elsewhere in the body, causing blood vessel inflammation. This leads to tiny blood clots, whereby stroke and heart attack may follow. The findings supporting this theory can be seen in the remnants of oral bacteria found in atherosclerotic blood vessels (plaque build up in the arteries), far from the mouth. 

• Instead of bacteria causing the problem, it’s the body’s immune system, with inflammation showing to be the main cause of vascular damage throughout the body including the brain and heart. 

• There is a strong connection between diabetes (which doubles the risk of a heart attack) and the state of a person’s oral health, and evidence that people with diabetes benefit from periodontal treatment.

• Tooth loss has been associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease.

A recent British-Irish study found that the bacteria around the gums may get into the bloodstream, and cause blood clots, leading to the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Leading professor of Oral Microbiology at Bristol’s School of Oral and Dental Science, Dr. Howard Jenkinson, presented the findings at a meeting of the Society for General Microbiology at the University of Nottingham. He states that:

“Poor dental hygiene can lead to bleeding gums, providing bacteria with an escape route into the bloodstream, where they can initiate blood clots leading to heart disease.”

The study found that once the bacteria get into the bloodstream, they take control of the blood platelets forcing them together to form blood clots. 

To avoid being detected by the immune system (and antibiotics!), the bacteria encase themselves in the platelets:

“Unfortunately, as well as helping out the bacteria, platelet clumping can cause small blood clots, growths on the heart valves (endocarditis) or inflammation of blood vessels that can block the blood supply to the heart and brain”. 

– Dr. Howard Jenkenson

Even though this study admits further investigation is needed to determine exactly how the platelets clump together, the correlation between oral bacteria and heart disease is clear. 

Healthy gums = healthy body 

Being fully on board with these studies and understanding the direct correlation between healthy gums and the health of the rest of your body, we have developed a very special formula.

We believe that our all-natural herbal powder, Good-Gums, can help you achieve healthy gums, which, in turn, can help you achieve a healthy body!

It is of utmost importance that you use a natural oral health product devoid of all toxins and chemicals. This is why we recommend to our customers that they give up using toothpaste. We know, hard to hear when you’ve been so used to the minty-tasting, foamy sensation of paste. But not only will your toothpaste most likely be filled with harmful toxins and chemicals, but the glycerin present even in the ‘natural’ kinds of toothpaste from health stores forms an invisible coating over your teeth and gums, which acts as a barrier to essential nutrients and significantly hinders your body’s natural healing processes. 

Good-Gums is made with 100% natural ingredients and jam-packed full of vital nutrients that are designed to be easily absorbed by your gums. 

If you are experiencing bleeding, swollen, or inflamed gums – symptoms associated with the beginning of gum disease – it is even more crucial that you switch to using an all-natural product like Good-Gums.

As our gums are extremely sensitive and some of the most absorptive tissues in the body, it’s important that we feed them with vitamins and nutrients that aid the repair and regeneration process.

Our special ingredients include myrrh, peppermint, baking soda, French grey sea salt, cinnamon, cranberry, vitamin C, and citrus bioflavonoids – and absolutely nothing else. Take a more detailed look at our ingredients list to see what beneficial qualities are in each ingredient and what they do for the state of your gum health.

Your mouth is the window to the rest of your bodily health so by looking after your gums, it’s not just gum disease you keep at bay.

Click here if you’d like to give Good-Gums a try.